US forces struck five Iranian oil tankers as Tehran retaliated with missiles against a US base and attacks on vessels.
The United States has struck five Iranian oil tankers, sinking one, as Iran retaliated with missile attacks against a US military base in Jordan and claimed further strikes on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (Centcom) said four of the tankers targeted in the Gulf of Oman were linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while another was struck near Kharg Island, Iran’s major oil-export terminal.
Iran responded by firing missiles at a US base in Jordan, with most of the projectiles intercepted by Jordanian forces.
Jordan said it had shot down 18 of the 20 Iranian missiles, while the remaining two fell in unpopulated areas, according to a spokesperson for the Jordanian Armed Forces.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards later said they had attacked two US vessels, eight oil tankers and 10 “non-compliant vessels” attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest exchange marks a further escalation in direct confrontation between Washington and Tehran, following Iranian attacks targeting a US warship with ballistic missiles.
Centcom said the US vessel successfully evaded the missiles and that no American troops were injured.
In announcing the tanker strikes, the US said the vessels were connected to an Iranian network used to finance the Revolutionary Guards and its regional allies.
Centcom said the targeted tankers were:
“part of a multi-billion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies.”
One of the vessels, the M/T Riesco, later sank in the Gulf of Oman after being struck, with Centcom releasing footage showing the damaged tanker.
The latest strikes also targeted waters near Kharg Island, which is home to Iran’s principal oil-export terminal.
The island handles about 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, with oil transported there from the mainland through pipelines.
The confrontation has also pushed oil prices higher amid concerns over disruption to regional energy supplies. Brent crude rose 1.5% to $99.35 a barrel in Asian trading, while US-traded oil gained 1.3% to $94.23.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Washington’s response, saying Iran’s attempts to attack American naval vessels would result in further strikes against Iranian oil tankers.
“Iran continues to try to hit US naval ships. And, for every time they do that or try to do that, they’re going to lose tankers. And I think you’ll see that again today,”
The US strikes came hours after Iran’s navy claimed it had seized an uncrewed American submarine in the Strait of Hormuz.
Centcom disputed the description, saying the underwater drone had malfunctioned more than a day earlier and was being used to monitor regional waters in support of US operations.
US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins said the drone was an older model and did not contain sensitive information or classified sonar or radar equipment.
“The underwater drone operated by US forces malfunctioned more than a day ago”
He said US military operations in regional waters were continuing.
The latest US-Iran confrontation comes amid wider instability across the region.
On Tuesday, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement also attacked energy facilities and civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, injuring 73 people, according to Saudi authorities.
Saudi authorities said the drone and missile attacks caused fires at oil facilities and installations, temporarily forcing some operations to stop.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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